


Meeting Ground

by gracethescribbler



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Cultural Differences, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fantasy Aesthetic, Horses, Meet-Cute, Rivalry, Tumblr Prompt, but fantasy version, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23218579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracethescribbler/pseuds/gracethescribbler
Summary: The King and Queen of rival nations meet for the first time off the battlefield to form an alliance.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	Meeting Ground

**Author's Note:**

> for an Anonymous ask on Tumblr: Fanfic request for Rexsoka: Rex is a king and Ahsoka is a queen. They are both rivals until a new threat arises where they both have to join their forces
> 
> Leave a comment if you enjoyed!

Mandalore’s mountains rose up steep and treacherous for miles along the border of the grass-covered plains of Shili, clouds obscuring the upper slopes and peaks as a storm rumbled in the distance. Unlike the mountains themselves, Shili was warm to the point of discomfort for the contingent of twenty warriors who rode through the grass on stocky Fjord horses, wrapped in furs and leathers, which just a few hours ago had been powdered with snow. The grass of the plains, golden-green, came up nearly to the withers of the horses, who needed frequent coaxing to continue moving through the grass without stopping to eat. The warriors had been riding for a week, now, six women and four men, each carrying a pack bulging with supplies, bedrolls and tents and some gifts for the people they were meeting. At their head rode Mandalore’s king, Rex of the Fett clan, his sharp gold eyes scanning the plains for any sign of danger. He didn’t seem to notice the warmth, leaving his thick bearskin cloak around his shoulders, although many of his warriors had shed their coats and gloves and bundled the furs up with their other supplies. There was no sign yet of the entourage that was to meet them here at the foot of the mountains, so after they arrived at the meeting point assigned to them – a circle of carved stones that had just been visible from the lowest slopes of the mountains – Rex signaled for them to stop, and the warriors dismounted and began to make camp, pressing down the grasses and letting their horses wander off to have a roll and graze.

It would be unwise to start a fire here, so they got out bread and cheese and mead and sat on their furs and bedrolls in the grass. Shili’s scouts were legendary, had always seen every attempt at an attack coming, so someone should have met them soon enough – tomorrow at the latest. For now, they didn’t make a proper camp, because the sun was still high in the sky and in all likelihood Shili’s warriors would be here soon to meet them.

There was always a chance that they would still be betrayed, but there had been many messages shared in good faith, an agreement that the threat they faced was bigger than old squabbles over borders and hunting grounds.

Sure enough, in good time, after a few hours of waiting, one of Rex’s warriors, a slim but muscled man named Echo, who people claimed had a gift for seeing into the next world after a fight with a bear had cost him half his face and most use of his right arm, stood up and looked around and called, “I think they’re coming!”

Rex and the others stood up, too, and looked across the grass where Echo was pointing. Sure enough, a group as large as their own was riding towards them at speed, through the grass, and although they didn’t expect to have to fight, Rex and his warriors swung back up onto their own horses and drew together into a tight group, tense enough that their mounts sidestepped nervously and shook their heads and snorted, ears twitching.

As the other contingent of warriors thundered up to the stone circle, they slowed just slightly before splitting into two groups and surrounding Rex and his warriors. Their horses were bay and dun and roan, a little taller than those of the Mandalorians and lighter-boned, faster. Rex’s horse snorted and lifted her head, uncomfortable at the energy and speed of the newcomers, but she was a steady horse and Rex patted her neck until she stilled again.

The warriors came to a stop around them, and in front of Rex the leader of the group reined her horse in with a light touch on the reins. She was slender, tall, poised, her thick black hair twisted and braided in thick strands around her head, cascading down her back. White lines of paint outlined her cheekbones and brows, and her clothes, made of soft animal skin, were painted with similar lines of white and red. Her eyes, almost unnaturally blue, were narrowed in suspicion, and she looked Rex up and down as if she expected him to charge her at any moment. Queen Ahsoka Tano had not changed much, in the years since he’d seen her, although today her sword remained sheathed at her side and the paint on her face was neater, stylized. The people of Shili, like his own people, painted their faces for war, but with dozens of colors in lines that made every face lose distinction in its features but carried meaning (so Rex understood it) in the patterns. Today, he recognized Ahsoka by her eyes and decided that she was equally terrifying in diplomatic colors as she was in warpaint.

“Welcome to Shili,” she said, almost sardonically, which made Rex smile.

“Never thought I’d hear you say that,” he answered, although he was polite, because they _were_ on her land and surrounded, at that. He touched his fingers to his forehead in a polite salute, inclined his head. “I appreciate you allowing us into your lands.”

Ahsoka snorted, amused. “Of course.”

Because in truth, for him and his warriors to come into Shili was a vast disadvantage – after a week’s travel through the mountains, far away from the rest of their people, on terrain that neither they nor their horses were built for… If the queen wanted to, she could have them overwhelmed and killed here and now, but this entire venture was a risk based on trust and good faith. It was, in the end, easier for mountain folk to brave the warmth and open space of Shili than it would be for Shili’s people to travel weeks through the icy cold and thin air of Mandalore’s mountains.

“We brought gifts,” Rex said, gesturing behind him, and Echo and their healer, Kix, rode forward on their horses and produced the bundles that contained their peace offerings. They’d packed woven rugs and blankets, dried provisions, a cask of mead, wooden amulets and carvings, and furs and skins from the bears and wolves that young warriors hunted to prove themselves. Ahsoka considered the bundles for a moment before making a signal to her own people, who rode back to her and stopped surrounding Rex’s group. A quiet-looking woman with a white-and-red-painted face came forward and collected the gifts, with a nod at each of them.

“You may come back with us to our city,” she said, lifting her chin slightly. “We will discuss the terms of this alliance there. Maybe put away those furs before you die of heat stroke,” she added, looking straight at Rex with a raised eyebrow, something teasing creeping into her tone. “Try to keep up.”

With that, she wheeled her horse around, as did all her warriors, and lit out across the grass. Rex swore under his breath and spurred his stocky mare on to follow, taunted by the sound of her light laughter carried back to them on the wind.


End file.
